1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing apparatus and method for outputting input plural images as one image.
2. Related Background Art
According to speedup of an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine or the like in recent years, such the conventional image processing apparatus can print a large number of copies, easily form a small number of pamphlets or booklets, and perform simple bookbinding. When such the bound copies are formed, it has been proposed a method to form a sheet acting as cover or jacket of text originals (referred as xe2x80x9ccover sheetxe2x80x9d hereinafter), interpose or sandwich the output results of the text originals in the formed cover sheet, and bind the cover sheet and the output results of the text originals together.
When the cover sheet is formed, plural images, e.g., an image for a front cover (or a recto) and an image for a back cover (or a verso), are respectively input, and the input images are aligned and formed on an identical face of the cover sheet. For example, the image for the front cover is formed on the left part of the face of the cover sheet, while the image for the back cover is formed on the right part of the same face thereof. When the output results of the text originals are interposed in the cover sheet, the cover sheet is folded in half along its center part. As a result of such a series of bookbinding processing, bound copies as shown in FIG. 26A can be obtained.
However, for example, if the number of text originals to be interposed in the copy sheet is large, the thickness of an output sheaf is fat. In such a case, if the cover sheet is simply formed in the conventional method, as shown in FIG. 26B, there is some fear that the images for the front and back covers intrude into the area corresponding to a backbone cover, whereby externals of the bound copies worsen.
Therefore, in order to prevent such a disadvantage, when the cover sheet is formed, it is conceivable that a user (or an operator) himself sets the sheet (i.e., original) on which the image for the front cover has been printed and the sheet (i.e., original) on which the image for the back cover has been printed, onto an original mounting board (i.e., platen glass) of the image processing apparatus such that the former sheet and the latter sheet are disposed apart from each other by certain interval, and then the image processing apparatus reads the set and disposed originals as one data and forms the image corresponding to the read data.
However, when the cover sheet is formed, if it is assumed that the user himself manually disposes these original sheets, he must point by point worry about the thickness of the text originals. It is very difficult to accurately set the plural original sheets, whereby it takes unnecessary time and trouble.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus which solved the above- described problem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus which can easily form a sheet for covering a sheaf of plural sheets, without burdening a user.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the attached drawings.